Wd. Hutchison et al., DIFFERENTIAL NEURONAL-ACTIVITY IN SEGMENTS OF GLOBUS-PALLIDUS IN PARKINSONS-DISEASE PATIENTS, NeuroReport, 5(12), 1994, pp. 1533-1537
MICROELECTRODE trajectories through the globus pallidus of 6 Parkinson
's disease (PD) patients yielded neurophysiological 'landmarks' which
enabled the identification of neurones located in the external segment
(GPe) and internal segments, exterior (GPi,e) and interior (GPi,i) of
globus pallidus and the surrounding borders (Bor). Firing rate histog
rams and inter-spike interval time histograms were constructed for neu
rones in each region. The neuronal activity in GPi,i was higher than i
n the other segments, and a high degree of bursting was found in GPe a
nd GPi neurones. This profile of neuronal activity is similar to that
observed in monkeys treated with MPTP, suggesting that the observed le
vel of activity of neurones in GPi,i is excessive, and contributes to
the bradykinesia and rigidity of PD patients.